29 Years Young

Today I woke up one year older. 

Source: blogs.babble.com via Sara on Pinterest

I was born 29 years ago today. As I was thinking about what turning 29 meant to me, a lot of things ran through my mind. I am now officially the age that most women jokingly claim the rest of their lives. I also only have one year left to be a young 20-something.

For many, turning 30 is dreaded, but I'm excited about what my 30s will bring. Still, before I get ahead of myself, I'm ready to cherish one more year in my 20s and and celebrate the many things I've accomplished in just 29 short years.

So, since it's my birthday, I'm giving you each a task to eat a piece of cake in my honor! Enjoy!

Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving! 

This is a monumental Thanksgiving for Landon and I because it is the first time we are not celebrating with any family members. Because our family all came to visit us a few weeks ago, they are obviously not coming back, and due to a lack of vacation time and expensive flights, we decided not to travel this year.

I am a little saddened that I am not sitting around the table and enjoying good food and great company with my family, especially since my older sister, who I haven't seen in a year, is in Nashville with her kids. Plus, my Mema makes the best Thanksgiving feast you've ever had in your life. No, really. It's the best. I definitely wish I could be with them.

So, you ask, what are we doing today for Thanksgiving? Well, while everyone is stuffing their face with turkey, Landon and I are taking a less traditional route. We decided to buy some nice, juicy steaks, asparagus and potatoes and have a complete steak dinner. Plus, we plan to hit up a few Thanksgiving Day sales. I figure if the stores are going to have them, someone needs to go shop them!

But don't worry. On Friday, we are celebrating the traditional way with our friends the Johnsons, for whom we are very grateful. I'm providing the green beans and turnip greens, which are always a staple at my family's Thanksgiving (though they won't be fresh from the garden). And, since I'm not a pumpkin pie fan, I decided to try out this Praline Pumpkin Dessert.

Source: flickr.com via Kristin on Pinterest

Also, I should mention, we had a few offers from some very gracious people who invited us over to join their family celebrations today, which we were very grateful for, but decided to stick with our unconventional plans and enjoy each other's company instead.

Regardless of the celebration, I have many things to be thankful for this year, including:

• A God who loves and provides for me more than I deserve
• A husband who is my best friend and is still the person I want to spend every day with after nearly seven years of marriage
• Parents who love me so much and continue to offer me guidance, even though I am grown
• In-laws who love me like their own daughter
• Sisters with whom I can laugh and cry
• Friends who care about me and brighten my day (I won't list you all ... you know who you are!)
• A roof over my head, which also happens to be a beautiful house
• A pantry and fridge full of food
• Good jobs that allow us to provide for our family
• A job that I love and enjoy getting up for everyday
• Coworkers who are like family
• A church where Landon and I can serve
• A church family who loves and supports us
• My health
• And the list could go on ...

What are you giving thanks for this year? Perhaps it's been a difficult year for you, but I challenge you to take the time and write out what you are most thankful for this year. I guarantee you will discover many things for which to be grateful.

Not So Extreme Couponing

Last week I traveled to Chicago for work. While I don't necessarily love traveling, I do enjoy staying in hotels for a few reasons. 

First, I am absolutely obsessed with hotel shampoos, conditioners, soaps, etc. I have an entire drawer full of these from various trips. I know which hotels have the best and which ones don't work with my hair or which lotions are a bit thin. Seriously, I can't get enough. 

Second, I love hotel bedding. It's so comfy and fluffy. Plus, King size beds are great. I may have to get one, one day. 

Lastly, there's cable. When Landon and I first got married, we decided cable wasn't in our budget. So for years, we used the bunny ears. Then, we decided to splurge and get the "basic" package. Many people are not aware this even exists. It's simply the same channels you get with an antenna but without having to move around the bunny ears to find the signal. So, we still only get the basic channels. It's just a small way we've decided to save money. Plus, we still get to see plenty of various TV shows through Netflix. 

All that to say, last week, I was flipping through the plethora of channels in the hotel when I stumbled upon TLC's "Extreme Couponing." I had heard about the show from many but had never seen it myself. 

I love a good deal as much as the next person, but I couldn't believe the things some of the things these people go through to save money. Sorry, but I'm not into dumpster diving. Still, there was something inspiring about the show. 

Source: bit.ly via Recipe.com on Pinterest

So, over the weekend, I tried to take my couponing to the next level. I do clip coupons and I do try and use them with the sales, but I have never had any true couponing victories. Saturday I sat down, looked through all my coupons and sale papers and tried to match things accordingly. I also used couponmom.com to help. I decided I didn't want to go to every store, but I chose three to hit up. 

I'm pleased to say that though it took a while, my efforts paid off because I saved over $30 at Target on my $70 bill. That included soap, razors, moisturizer and face wash, which I think can be expensive. While some of you are probably thinking that's not that great, I figure it's the small steps.

 I don't ever expect to get $4,000 worth of groceries for $13, like on "Extreme Coponing," but if I can save money each week, I'll be happy. 

So, what tips and tricks have you found when couponing? Are there websites you have found are helpful? Certain stores you have found that give better deals? Let me know! I'd love to hear from some of you pros!

Pumpkin + Pinterest

When Landon's mom was in town a few weeks ago, we made Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Streusel topping. Of course, this was a Pinterest recipe and it is definitely one I will be using again. They were oh, so scrumptious!

Half of the batch was made with my new cute little IKEA muffin tins ... I love them!

These muffins are the wonderful creation of Laine at It's Just Laine. The full recipe can be found here: http://www.justlaine.com/2011/09/pumpkin-spice-muffins-with-cream-cheese.html

I highly recommend them. Not only were they absolutely scrumptious, but they were also easy to make, unlike some of the recipes found on Pinterest. So, add these to your list to make this "pumpkin" season.

Oh, and please check out Laine's blog! You won't be disappointed!

I Do

Recently, my co-worker Lauren got married. So, recognizing a good occasion to put Pinterest to good use, I decided to make a little DIY wedding gift for her.

I had my other co-worker Monica do a little investigating a few weeks before the big day to find out what song Lauren and Max would dance to first. Monica was able to help me figure out their first dance would be to "I Do (Cherish You)" by 98 Degrees.

Next, I bought a frame with a large mat.

I removed the mat and used a thin sharpie to write the words of the song. Honestly, I was very nervous about this. I didn't want to mess up and have it say something wrong. So, I took my time writing out each line. 

I started by using painter's tape to keep my lines straight, but when I pulled it off the first time, I discovered it was sticking too much and pulling some of the mat with it. So I just grabbed a piece of paper to help me.

I also started writing small, only to realize the song was not that long. 

So, I decided to start to write it out again from the beginning. When it was all said and done, I had the full song almost twice.

This was such an easy gift, but hopefully one that they can use to remember their special day many years to come. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Whitemyer!